JOURNEY: EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA

This post will explore my original ideas for my film opening. I had planned to work alone at the start, however chose to start working with James. We then changed our idea, and wanted to look into the horror genre, creating a similar style of opening to ones like Halloween, Scream and The Ring. This post goes through:

• My first idea
• First pitch
• First character ideas
• Second pitch

FIRST IDEAS

Taking heavy inspiration from 'The End of The F***ing world' (Netflix tv series)

This series is about two teenagers with mental issues,  but then find a relationship between them, both with different intentions from the start.

In the opening scene, it is going over the protagonist's (James) life. It is designed as flashbacks, and when the flashbacks aren't happening, James is sitting down, then walking down a street, and then finished with James sitting in a canteen. At the moment, I am interested in doing a similar style, although exploring a psychological thriller style. Instead of showing flashbacks, I would cut to clips of what is happening in this boys head. Another similar idea would be to have two characters walking down a street, on opposite sides, and the flashbacks would something that they just did (i.e just killed people and they are cutting back to what happened)

FIRST PITCH

GENRE

psychological thriller

may or may not incorporate the very dark humour that they use in 'End of the F****ing World' - I am

yet to decide

CHARACTERS

James as the main character named Cole

very counterypical

Poorly styled hair, scruffy, needs haircut

idea of wearing t-shirt with a counter typical idea on it and something that completely contradicts his character (i.e a Taylor swift merch to make clear that someone had bought this from him) + converse, baggy jeans with belt

a close up of the t-shirt might trick the audience into thinking this character is different to how he is

Blood splashes on him

Emma as the female character, without a name, clearly sexualised (male gaze), showing a shoulder and/or wearing short shorts, wearing white (inspiration taken from Christian Stricker's past as work) (hinting Cole must have manipulated her?)

SETTING

There is convenient path near my house that I would quite like to film it at + it has a park by it so if I decide to have anything creepy go on there, that is convenient. I would start the setting in Coles house (aka my house), and then film him walking somewhere. The original idea is the film this at night (8pm) so that it builds on the creepy feel). As Cole keeps seeing the character, I have a shot in mind where he is walking along the path and then in the background, you get a glimpse of the girl sitting on the crossbar of the football goal, and then seconds later she has disappeared. 

PLOT

Cole, a psychopath (with potential schizophrenia) kills Emma's character, with enjoyment, and expresses all his emotions through a voiceover ('End of the F****ing World' style - sounding emotionless). Cole is on a walk through a dark forest and keeps getting flashbacks to him killing Emma, and then also keeps seeing her walking with him + hearing her voice. Ends with a significant line in the voiceover and then potentially showing Cole arrive at a little play park and then swinging on a children's swing or something similar (to create a creepy stigma around the character).

I will use narrative enigma around this character, as I will show the killing around half way through the 2 minutes, and then as soon as that has been shown, I will cut to an ECU of Coles face (maybe with a slight smirk on his face)

MUSIC STYLE 

I want it to be a jolly sound that sounds creepy. Very hard to explain but the opening of 'End of the F****ing World' describes what I want perfectly. Listen here

The whistling connotes a jolly feel, but then I would like very dark lyrics

CHANGING IDEA

After discussing original film opening idea with peers and teacher, I have decided to scrap the idea.

REASONS

• Lack of enthusiasm 

Wasn't particular excited by the idea
Felt like a rushed idea

• Wrong inspiration

Was inspired by an opening of a TV show
Style of TV opening was slightly different to a standard movie opening

• No 'wow' factor

The concept was simple and had little to show off skills
Wasn't much potential for SFX and unique directing styles
Too plain
No twist/excitement took place in the idea

• Little understanding of the genre

I intended to do a psychological thriller, yet plot reflected different genre
Hadn't previously done enough research on the genre

• Underestimating Workload

Originally, my plan was to work alone as I felt it would be the easiest way to achieve marks that reflect my own standard

Further on from this, I will work with my classmate, James, as we have worked together well in the past + both had similar ideas to start off with.

FIRST CHARACTER IDEAS

Scary character in film opening - L+J from LouisHodges3

SECOND PITCH (SLEEP WELL)

'Sleep well' pitch (1) from LouisHodges3

Changes made further into the production:

• Introduce a postmodernism element
• Changing the news article to a news broadcast